Bag closing and tying machine and method



Dec. 28, 1965 c. E. CORY 3,225,507

BAG CLOSING AND TYING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 5, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'IE'I I INVENTOR CHARLES E.'GORY BY MA:

ATTORNEY Dec. 28, 1965 c. E. coRY BAG CLOSING AND TYING MACHINE AND METHOD 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1962 INVENTOR CHARLES E. CORY ATTORNEY Dec. 28, 1965 c. E. CORY BAG CLOSING AND TYING MACHINE AND METHOD 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 5, 1962 INVENTOR CHARLES E. CORY ATTORNEY Dec. 28, 1965 c. E. CORY 3,225,507

BAG CLOSING AND TYING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 5, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 2 CHARLES E. CORY 1 ELEI BY M /W/ ATTORNEY Dec. 28, 1965 c. E. CORY 3,225,507

BAG CLOSING AND TYING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 5, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 I @1 19 163] m1 mien: m1 El 91w! mien: ml ml @115? 1% INVENTOR CHARLES E. CORY mi W' ATTORNEY Dec. 28, 1965 c. E. CORY 3,225,507

BAG CLOSING AND TYING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 5, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR CHARLES E. CORY ATTORNEY Dec. 28, 1965 c. E. CORY 3,225,507

BAG CLOSING AND TYING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 5, 1962 v 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 T'I l3 llII INVENTOR CHARLES E. CORY BY MM F'II3 ll ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,225,507 BAG CLOSING AND TYING MACI-HNE AND METHOD Charles E. Cory, Oakland, Calif, assignor to FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 228,696 10 Claims. (Cl. 53-14) This invention relates to package making, and pertains more particularly to machines for closing the ends of filled bags.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved bag closing machine.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine for gathering, or pursing, the top of a filled bag into a constricted neck, positioning a wire or other fiexible and slightly resilient tie around the neck of the bag, and tightening the tie around the bag neck by twisting the ends of the tie together to effectively close the end of the bag to protect and prevent loss of the bags contents and yet permit the bag to be opened easily when access to or removal of its contents is desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic machine which operates dependably to close and tie filled bags in rapid succession and yet which handles the bags so gently so as to avoid damaging the bags or their contents.

Another object is the provision of a bag closing and tying machine in which a high rate of production is attained by performing simultaneously the operations of gathering the neck of one bag, preparing a bag tie for application thereto, and tightening the tie previously applied to the preceding bag.

Another object of the invention is to apply the bag tie to the neck of each bag by means of a tie carrier which also performs the final stages of the neck constricting operation, and which does not retract upon completion of its functions, but travels on in the direction of movement of the bag and thus avoids interference with the next succeeding bag entering the region where gathering and tying thereof take place.

Another object is to provide the tie carrier in the form of a double-ended member, one end of which completes the gathering of a bag neck and places a tie thereon in position to be twisted and tied while another bag tie is being supplied to the other end of the carrier in readiness to be placed upon the neck of the next succeeding bag.

Another object is the provision of an improved mechanism for cutting bag ties of appropriate length from a supply of strip stock and forming each severed tie into a particular shape, and for then transferring the tie and placing it upon a gathered bag neck in partially encircling relation thereto where it is in readiness to be engaged and acted upon by a tie twisting and tightening mechanism.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the bag closing and tying machine of the present invention, showing in transverse section a supply and discharge conveyor for serving the machine.

FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5 are schematic operational views showing successive steps of the bag closing and tying operation performed by the machine of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic elevation of the driving mechanism of the machine, which may be considered as an enlarged section taken on line 66 of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic perspective showing the power supply portion of the driving mechanism of FIG.

FIGURE 8 is a schematic perspective showing the cams, cam followers and associated linkages included in the driving mechanism of FIG. 6.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged transverse section through the tie stock feeding mechanism taken on the line 99 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged, partly broken away side elevation of the tie twisting mechanism.

FIGURE 11 is a section on line 1111 of FIG. 10.

FIGURE 12 is a perspective showing the mechanism for severing the bag ties and supplying them to the tie transferring carrier, viewed in the general direction of the arrow 12 of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary perspective of one type of stock suitable for use in making bag ties in the machine of this invention.

Bags to be closed and tied, one of which is indicated at 20 in FIGURE 1, are supplied in rapid succession to the bag closing and tying machine 22 of this invention upon the upper run 24 of a belt type endless conveyor 26 trained about spaced apart pulleys 28 (one shown in FIG. 1) journalled in brackets 30. The type of bag 20 illustrated in FIGURE 1 is designed as a container for a standard loaf of bread, but it is to be understood that this is merely an exemplary showing since the machine of this invention can be used with equal advantage to close and tie bags of other types, filled with other.

commodities.

Whereas the operating elements 32 of the machine 22 which engage the bags and the ties are exposed at the side of the machine adjacent the conveyor 26, the driving mechanism 34 therefor (FIG. 6) is contained within a housing 36 (FIG. 1) and is operably connected to the operating elements 32 by shafts journalled in and extending through a side wall of the housing 36. The.

drive motor 38 and speed reduction unit 40 from which the driving mechanism 34 receives its power are mounted exteriorly of the housing 36 on the side remote from the conveyor 26. The output shaft 42 of the speed reduction unit is journalled in this side of the housing and extends through it to the interior of the housing where it is operatively connected to the drive mechanism 34 as will be explained presently.

The conveyor 26 is illustrated in FIGURE 1 as being horizontal so that the filled bags 20 carried thereby lie flat on their sides with their open ends extending to and beyond a side of the conveyor for presentation to the closing and tying machine 22 as they advance past it. Under certain circumstances of installation however, it may be advantageous that the conveyor be tilted so that whereas the filled bags advance along a horizontal path they are tipped upward and toward the machine 22 thus keeping their open ends uppermost as an aid in preventing spilling of commodities in powdered or granular form or existing in separate pieces. To make the machine 22 adaptable for use in connection with either horizontal or tipped supply conveyor, it is mounted by means of trunnions 44 (one shown in FIG. 1) projecting from the front and rear Walls of the housing 36 and journalled in bearings 46 which are mounted upon a frame 48 which may also provide support for the above mentioned'brackets 30 in which the conveyor pulleys 28 are journalled;

In either case, the filled bags 20 which are to have their open ends closed and tied are fed to the machine 22 while lying on their sides, either flat or inclined, and advancing sideways, so as to presenttheir open ends successively to cooperating upper and lower pairs 50 and 52, respectively, of gathering wheels (FIGS. 15). As each open bag top approaches the gathering wheels it encounters guiding, or camming, surfaces lying in .a plane parallel to the direction of bag movementand sloping toward each other in that direction. These camming surfaces, which may be provided by edges of a protective guard or cover (not shown) which partially encloses the operating elements 32, or may be rails 54 as shown diagrammatically in FIGURES 2-5, are so placed that the open bag ends pass between them and as a consequence of the converging nature of the camming surfaces 54 are partially collapsed or flattened by them, thus facilitating entry of the region of the bag adjacent its open end (hereinafter called the bag end region) into the nip between the upper pair 50 and the lower pair 52 of gathering wheels, as illustrated in FIG- URE 2.

The upper pair 50 of gathering wheels are rigidly secured to a constantly rotating shaft 56 for uninterrupted rotation therewith, as by a key 58. The direction in which the upper gathering wheels 50 are driven is clockwise as viewed in FIGURES 2-6. The lower gathering wheels 52 are in the nature of idler wheels inasmuch as they are freely rotatable upon another shaft 60 parallel to and spaced below the upper gathering wheel shaft 56. Each lower gathering wheel 52 is in planar alignment with one of the upper gathering wheels 50 and the gathering wheels of each pair .are spaced apart axially along their respective shafts 56, 60, so as to accommodate other mechanism therebetween as is presently to be explained. The upper gathering wheel shaft 56 is carried at the outer end of a support arm 62 (FIGS. 2-5) pivotally mounted adjacent its other end upon a shaft 64 and urged constantly by a spring 66 in such a manner that when a partially flattened bag end region is caught in the nip between the two pairs of gathering wheels it will be engaged thereby sufliciently tightly to be flattened therebetween and driven forward thereby, as indicated at 20a in FIG. 2.

The speed of rotation of the gathering wheels is such that a bag end region caught in the nip between the wheels 50 and 52 is advanced thereby at approximately the same speed that the remainder of the bag 20 is advanced on the conveyor 26. As the bag end region is advanced it is effectively collapsed into a flattened condition so that as it emerges at the downstream side of the gathering wheels and encounters a stationary abutment the end region is gathered, or pursed, thus forming the bag end region into a neck of greatly reduced transverse dimensions as compared with the body of the bag 20, as indicated at 20b in FIGURE 3.

The initial phase of this gathering, or pursing, operation occurs within a recess 68 (FIGS. 2-5), one of which is provided in each end of a rotatable, multiple acting, double ended, tie transfer member 70, as illustrated in FIGURE 2. This double ended lever 70 is rigidly secured to the lower gathering wheel shaft 60 (FIGS. 2-6) which is rapidly rotated through one-half of a revolution in response to closure of a sensing switch 74 (FIG. 1) mounted upon a bracket 76 extending upward from a longitudinally extending member 78 of the frame 48. The sensing switch 74 is so positioned above the conveyor 26 that its sensing element 79 is engaged and moved by each filled bag 20, so as to close the switch 74 to engage a single revolution clutch as will presently be explained, and thereby effect the mentioned 180 degree movement of the tie transfer member 70, just as the trailing edge of a flattened bag end region is passing through the nip between the upper and lower gathering wheels 50 and 52. Thus the abutment against which the initial phase of the gathering operation occurs is suddenly removed from its position wherein it interrupted forward movement of the leading edge of the flattened bag end region and wherein a substantial portion of the bag end region has been bunched or gathered against it. However, before this removal of the abutment occurs its place is taken by a pair of secondary gathering fingers 80 (FIGS. 2-5) which are pivotally mounted in spaced apart planes between the two upper gathering wheels 50 upon a bracket 82 rigid with the frame 48. The two secondary gathering fingers 80 are spaced apart sufliciently to permit the ends of the tie transfer member 70 to move freely therebetween, the

latter being secured to the shaft 60 between the two lower gathering wheels 52 which, as above stated, are freely rotabtale upon the shaft 60.

The two secondary gathering fingers are held in alignment with each other by a pivot pin 83 (FIGS. 2-5 which rigidly interconnects them and upon which one end of a connecting rod 84 is engaged. The other end of the connecting rod 84 extends slidably through a block 86 which is pivoted to the outer end, a crank arm 88 which is rigidly secured to and extends radially from a shaft 90 (FIGS. 2-6). A spring 92 (FIGS. 2-5) under compression between the block 86 and a shoulder 94 on the connecting rod 84 pushes the secondary gathering fingers 80 from their retracted position shown in FIGURE 2 to their operating position shown in FIGURE 3, when the crank arm 88 turns clockwise as viewed in these figures. However, the spring 92 permits the secondary gathering fingers 80 to yield slightly for a purpose presently to be explained. Aligned arcuate recesses or pockets 96 are provided in the two secondary gathering fingers 80 adjacent their outer ends in position to move into register with the gathering recess 68 of the tie transfer lever 70 within which the bag end region is being gathered at the time that the fingers 80 move into their operative position.-

During each interval of rest between successive actuations of the tie transfer lever 70 a bag tie 100 is bent to substantially V-shape form and is seated within a V- shaped notch 102 in the leading edge of that arm of the tie transfer lever which is opposite the arm against which a bag end region is being gathered. As stated, actuation of the tie transfer lever 70 to reverse its position occurs just as the trailing edge of a bag end region is passing through the nip between the gathering wheels. Consequently, the sudden rotation of the tie transfer lever 70 through a half revolution causes the end of the lever within whose notch 102 a bag tie 100 has just been seated to overtake the trailing edge of the bag end region and thus place the bag tie 100 upon the neck being formed in partially encircling relation therewith, i.e., with the two diverging ends of the tie (the two arms of the V) in embracing relation with the neck. Moreover, the tie transfer lever 70 does not complete its one-half revolution until the bent portion or crotch of the V has passed the line of tangency of the upper and lower gathering wheels, with the result that as the tie transfer lever 70 completes its half revolution it crowds the trailing edge of the bag end region farther forward than it would be carried by the gathering wheels themselves, and presses the thus completely gathered back neck firmly against the secondary gathering fingers 80 as indicated at 200 in FIG- URE 4. It is to accommodate such final movement of the tie transfer lever and permit such squeezing of the neck 200 into a highly compacted, substantially cylindrical form that the spring 92 is provided upon the push rod whereby the secondary gathering fingers 80 are propelled into their operative position. This arrangement ensures completion of the stroke of the tie transfer lever and eflicient compacting of the neck 200 without harmful interference between the secondary gathering fingers 80 and the tie transfer lever 70 as the latter completes its one-half turn.

While the bag neck 200 is thus held under compression: between the secondary gathering fingers 80 and the lead-- ing edge of one arm of the tie transfer lever 70, with.

a bag tie in partially encircling relation therewith, a pair' of opposed twisting jaws (FIGS. 25 and 10) move forward so as to receive the two diverging ends of the bag tie 100 therebetween, whereupon the jaws 110 swing together, clamping the two ends of the tie together, thus completing the encircling relationship of the tie with the bag neck. The twisting jaws 110 then rotate through approximately one and one-half turns, twisting the two ends of the tie together and thereby tightening the tie upon the bag neck and thus completing closure of the bag, as indicated at 20d in FIGURE 5. The twisting jaws 110 then Open, return to their withdrawn position and rotate in the opposite direction for one and one-half turns thus placing them in readiness for the next cycle of operation, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3. Simultaneously therewith the secondary gathering fingers 80 are returned to their withdrawn or idle position, thus releasing the bag whose end region has been closed and tied, permitting the conveyor 26 to carry it away from the bag closing and tying machine 22, as indicated at e in FIGURE 2 and to any suitable point of discharge.

An important feature of the present invention is that immediately upon arrival of the tie transfer lever in the position wherein the leading edge of one of its arms crowds the gathered bag end region forward compactly against the secondary gathering fingers (FIG. 4) the trailing edge of the same end of the lever is in position to intercept the leading edge of the next successive bag end region and thus commence the operation of gathering it into a neck before the secondary gathering fingers 80 are retracted and while the operation of twisting the bag tie and tightening the same upon the neck of the preceding bag is taking place. This is one of the factors that contributes to the high output rate of the machine 22 of this invention inasmuch as the time interval which must be permitted between entry of successive bags into the machine 10 is considerably shortened as a result of the fact that a succeeding bag can enter the machine and the operation of gathering its end region into a neck can be started while the neck of the preceding bag is being tied and the tie thereon is being tightened.

The construction and manner of operation of the mechanism 112 which actuates the twisting jaws can best be understood by reference to FIGURES 8, 10 and 11. The two jaws 110 are pivoted by a common pin 114 to a relatively large head 116 on the forward end of a shaft 118. The shank portion 120 of the shaft 118 behind the large end 116 thereof is in the nature of a spline inasmuch as elongate gear teeth 122 are formed throughout the full circumferential extent thereof. Thus, intermeshing engagement is maintained between the toothed shank portion 120 and a sector gear 124 even though the shaft 118 partakes of axial movement of considerable extent. The forward end of the splined shaft 118 is slidable axially within a cylindrical jaw actuating cage 116 which is so fitted to a crosshead 128 that the cage 126 can both rotate and move axially relatively thereto. Forward axial motion of the shaft 118 relative to the cage 126 is resisted by a coil spring 130 under compression between the large head 116 and a shoulder 131 within the bore of the cage 126. The crosshead 128 is slidably mounted upon two spaced, parallel guide rods 132 rigidly secured to a bracket 134 within which the splined shaft 118 is journalled for both free rotation and limited axial movement. The shaft 118 is journalled in and extends beyond the bracket 134 to receive a stop washer 136 and a cushioning spring 138 which are retained in operative position on the shaft 118 by another washer 140 and a snap ring 142.

A link is pivoted to each jaw 110 a short distance forward from the common pivot pin 114 and each link 150 is pivoted to an ear 152 projecting forward from the jaw actuating cage 126. The parts are so proportioned and arranged that when the spring 130 moves the splined shaft 118 axially forward relatively to the actuator cage 126, the links 150 draw the jaws 110 apart to their open position (FIGS. 2 and 3), and when the actuator cage moves forward with respect to the splined shaft in opposition to the force exerted by the spring 130 the links 150 push the jaws together to their clamping position (FIGS. 4 and 8).

Means are provided for sliding the crosshead 128 forward on the guide rods 132 immediately after the tie transfer lever 70 has been actuated to remove one of its ends from in front of a bag neck and to cause its opposite end to place a bag tie on the bag neck in position to be engaged and twisted by the twisting mechanism 112. A crank arm 156 (FIGS. 25 and 10) is secured at one end to a shaft 158 and the bifurcated other end of the crank arm embraces a pin 160 rigid with and projecting from the crosshead 128 (FIGS. 2-5). When the shaft 158 is turned clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 25, the crank arm 156 moves the crosshead 128 forward, i.e., to the right as viewed in these figures. Throughout the major portion of such forward motion of the crosshead 128 the shaft 118 is likewise carried forward due to the pressure of the spring 130. When this forward motion has progressed to the extent that the open jaws 110 embrace the flared ends of the bag tie 108 that has been placed upon the bag neck, motion of the shaft 118 is arrested by engagement of the washer 136 with the bracket 134 as shown in FIG. 10. However, forward motion of the crosshead 128 continues briefly, and since a shoulder 162 on the jaw actuating cage 126 engages a complementary shoulder on the crosshead, the cage 126 likewise continues to move forward, compressing the spring 130. This continued forward motion of the cage 126 relative to the shaft 118 causes the links 150 to swing the jaws 110 toward each other and thus to engage the projecting ends of the bag tie 100 and to squeeze them together, thereby completing the encirclement of the neck by the bag tie.

Upon completion of the clamping movement of the jaws 110 the sector gear 124 is actuated to rotate the shaft 118 and thereby twist the ends of the bag tie 100 tightly together so as to tighten the tie upon the bag neck and thus complete the closure of the bag. This is accomplished by means of a connecting rod 164 (FIGS. 8, l0 and 11) pivoted by a pin 166 to the sector gear 124 and connected by another pivot pin 168 to a crank arm 170 rigidly secured to a rock shaft 172 to which the necessary reciprocatory rotary motion is imparted at the appropriate time by means presently to be described.

This twisting operation requires approximately one and one-half turns of the shaft 118, and immediately upon its completion the crank 156 turns counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 10, to retract the crosshead 128. During the initial stage of the crossheads retraction the spring 131 holds the shaft 118 in its forwardmost position while the jaw actuating cage 126 retracts, thus causing the links 150 to pull the jaws 110 apart and thereby release their grasp upon the twisted bag tie. Immediately thereafter the rear face of the crosshead 128 engages a snap ring 174 on the shank portion of the cage 126 so that throughout the rest of the return stroke of the crosshead 128 the shaft 118 and jaws 110 are returned to their retracted, idle position.

At approximately the same time that the shaft 118 and twisting jaws 110 are retracted the secondary gathering fingers 80 are likewise retracted. This clears the path for the completely closed bag which is thus released to be carried onward by the conveyor 26 and discharged from the bag tying machine 22.

As stated above, while the tie transsfer lever 70 is idle between successive actuations thereof, a bag tie 100 is severed from a supply of strip stock, bent to substantially V-shaped configuration, and seated within the V-shaped notch 102 of the opposite arm of the tie transfer lever '70 from that against which the end region of a bag is being gathered. The mechanism for performing these functions is indicated at and is best shown in FIGS. 2-5, 9 and 12.

Whereas various forms of tying devices are adaptable for use in connection with the machine 22 of the present invention one type that has proven entirely satisfactory is that which is shown in the Halstead Patent No. 2,732,- 001. As shown in FIG. 13 this tie material comprises a flexible and slightly resilient wire 194 sealed between two strips 196 and 198 of paper or other flexible sheet material.

The strip stock 192 is fed to the severing and forming mechanism 190 by a feeding mechanism 200 (FIGS. 2-5

and 9), which draws it from a supply roll (not shown) rotatably supported in any convenient location. After passing around a suitably positioned guiding roller or rod 201 (FIGS. 2-5) it enters the nip between two opposed feeding discs 202 and 204. As best shown in FIG. 9 a peripheral groove is formed in the disc 202 and a lining 206 of suitable friction material is seated within the groove. The periphery of the opposed disc 204 extends into the groove so as to compress the strip stock 192 tightly against the band of friction material and thus insure advance of the strip stock 192 when the discs 202 and 204 are turned. The disc 204 is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 208 carried at the outer end of an arm 210 (FIGS. 25) which is freely mounted upon the guide rod 201 and is urged by a spring 212 toward the disc 202 so as to exert the necessary pressure against the strip stock 192.

The grooved disc 202 is freely rotatable upon a shaft 216 (FIGS. 26, 8 and 9) as is also a gear 214 (FIG. 9) which is rigidly secured thereto as by a plurality of bolts 217, one of which is shown in FIG. 7. The opposed disc 204 likewise has a gear 218 affixed thereto by screws 220, and the two gears 214 and 218 are enmeshed with each other. The two gears 214 and 218 are of the same pitch diameter which substantially corresponds to the effective diameter of the discs 204 and 206. Because of the intermeshing engagement of the gears 214 and 218 they insure that the two discs 202 and 204 will otate simultaneously and in opposite directions so as to positively effect advancement of the strip stock 192 when they are turned so that their strip engaging portions move toward the tie severing and forming mechanism 190.

Such motion of the strip feeding discs 202 and 204 is accomplished by oscillation of the shaft 216 in opposite directions of rotation. Inasmuch as it is desired to actuate the feeding mechanism 200 only when the nip between the two discs is moving toward the tie severing and forming mechanism 190 the gear 214 and the disc 202 are connected to the shaft 216 by means of a one way clutch 224. Since this clutch is of conventional design subject to purchase upon the open market the details of its construction need not be shown and described herein and it will suffice for the purposes of the present disclosure to state that when the shaft 216 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 2-6 and 8, the clutch 224 effects similar rotation of the gear 214 and disc 202 but when the shaft 216 is rotated clockwise as viewed in these figures the gear 214 and disc 202 remain motionless. As a precautionary measure to positively prevent such reverse turning of the disc 202 a braking strap 225 is trained around the circumferential surface of the driven element of the one way clutch 224. The end of the strap 225 toward which the disc 202 turns when feeding the strip stock 192 is immobilized by an anchoring clamp 226 (FIGS. 2-5), whereas the other end of the strap 225 is connected by a spring 228 to an adjustment screw 230 extending loosely through an anchoring post 232 and releasably locked thereto when the spring 228 has had desired tension imposed thereupon by lock nuts 234. When the disc 202 turns counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 25 the spring 228 yields, permitting the strap 225 to move with the turning disc far enough to relieve its tension and to thereby so loosen it that feeding movement of the discs 202 and 204 is unhampered. However, if and when the disc 202 tends to rotate clockwise, the unyielding nature of the anchoring clamp 226 does not permit any such loosening of the strap, and reverse rotation of the disc 202 is prevented.

Thus the strip stock 192 is intermittently advanced to the severing mechanism 242 (FIGS. 25 and 12), where it slides along an elongate platform 240 (FIG. 12) and under a stationary shear blade 242 adjacent the discharge end of the platform 240. A movable shear blade 244 pivotally mounted for movement across the end of the platform 240, is carried by a shaft 246 (FIG. 12) which extends transversely through the platform 240. The shaft 246 is rotatable with respect to the platform and the end thereof opposite the shear blade 244 carries a lever arm 248 rigid therewith and extending radially therefrom. The lever arm 248 is engaged by a roller 250 carried by a crank arm 252 extending radially from a shaft 254 which, when turned a few degrees clockwise as viewed in FIG. 12 moves the crank arm 252 and roller 250 in such a manner as to turn the lever arm 248, shaft 246 and movable shear blade 244, thereby causing the latter to move across the end of the stationary shear blade 242 and thereby sever the strip stock 192 which passes between the two blades 242 and 244.

As best shown in FIGS. 2-5, the mentioned shaft 254 extends transversely across the platform 240 and slightly to one side thereof. A tie forming lever 260 carried by the shaft 254 extends radially therefrom past the discharge end of the platform 240 Where the shearing blades 242 and 244 are mounted and carries at its outer end a round nosed forming blade 262 .in position to enter the notch 102 in the end of the tie transfer lever 70 which is opposite the location where the bag end regions are gathered. Furthermore, the platform 240 and shearing blades 242 and 244 are so positioned that when the strip stock feeding discs 202 and 204 are actuated they propel past the shearing blades 242 and 244 a length of the strip stock 192 suitable to provide one of the bag ties 100. This length of the strip stock projects closely adjacent the leading edge of the adjacent end of the tie transfer lever 70 so that it overlies the open mouth of the V-shaped notch 102 therein, as shown in FIG. 4.

Upon completion of the strip feeding operation of the discs 202 and 204 the shaft 254 is turned to actuate the shearing blade 244 as above described and thereby sever the projected length of strip stock from the parent supply. Simultaneously with the actuation of the shearing blade 244 lever 260 is turned counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5, causing its round nosed forming blade 262 to engage the projected length of strip stock at practically the same instant that shearing thereof from the parent supply is completed so that as the forming blade 262 completes its stroke, it pushes the severed length of strip stock into the notch 102, bending the strip to V-shape form in conformity with the shape of the notch, as shown in FIG. 5. The shaft 254 is almost immediately turned in the opposite direction, thus retracting the lever 260 and its forming blade 262 and removing the pressure of the roller 250 against the lever arm 248, thereby permitting the latter and the movable shear blade 244 to be returned to their retracted position by a return spring (not shown).

Due to the fact that the wire 194 which constitutes a portion of the bag tie thus formed is possessed of some degree of resilience, it exerts sufficient pressure on the diverging walls of the notch 102 to effectively retain the tie 100 within the notch after the forming blade 262 has been withdrawn and when the tie transfer lever 70 is subsequently reversed to apply the bag tie 102 to the neck of the bag which has just been formed. As a precautionary measure toward this same end, said diverging walls of the notches 102 may be roughened so that the frictional engagement of the ties in the notches is made more secure.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, means are provided for driving the operating elements 32 so as to attain the synchronized actuation of the bag engaging and tie engaging elements hereinabove described. As already stated, power is supplied to the operating elements by the output shaft 42 (FIGS. 1 and 7) of the speed reduction unit 40. Within the housing 36 the shaft 42 carries a sprocket 270 (FIGS. 6 and 7) which is connected by a chain 272 to a driven sprocket 273 (FIG. 7) rigid with the above mentioned shaft 64. Also rigid with the shaft 64 is a sprocket 276 connected by a chain 278 to a sprocket 280 rigid with the shaft 56 upon which the driven gathering wheels 50 are secured. Consequently the upper gathering wheels 50 are continuously rotated as long as the machine 22 remains in operation, and the cooperating pairs of gathering wheels 50 and 52 are in readiness to receive and start gathering the end region of a bag at any time that a bag to be tied is supplied to them.

The shaft 64 carries still another sprocket 281 (FIG. 7) connected by a chain 282 to a sprocket 234 rigidly secured by the input shaft 286 of a clutch 288, which as above mentioned, is engaged when the sensing switch 74 (FIG. 1) is closed. Here again the clutch is of conventional design and need not be described in detail herein except to state that when the sensing switch 74 is closed the clutch 288 causes its output shaft 289 (FIG. 7) to turn through one full revolution and then come to rest.

The output shaft 289 of the single revolution clutch 288 carries a sector gear 290 (FIGS. 6 and 7) the arcuate extent of whose toothed portion is such that a gear 292 is engaged thereby and is rotated 180 degrees once each time the output shaft of the one way clutch 236 makes one full turn. This driven gear is secured to the shaft 60 (FIGS. 2-7) upon which the lower gathering wheels 52 are freely rotatable and to which the tie transfer lever 70 is rigidly secured. Consequently, once during each cycle of operation of the machine 22 the transfer lever 70 is caused to reverse its position i.e., remove one of its arms from in front of a bag end region being gathered and cause its other end to apply a bag tie 100 to the trailing portions of the same bag end region as gathering thereof is completed.

The output shaft 289 of the clutch 288 also carries a gear 294 (FIGS. 6 and 7) enmeshed with an idler gear 296 freely rotatable upon a stub shaft 298 and enmeshed with a driven gear 300 rigid with a cam shaft 302 (FIGS. 6, 7 and 8). Three cams, 304, 306, and 308, respectively (FIGS. 6 and 8), are rigidly secured to the cam shaft 302. The two cams 306 and 308 have the same profile. The hereinbefore mentioned rock shaft 172 (FIGS. 2-6, 8 and 10) which rotates the tie twisting jaws 110 is mounted adjacent the cam shaft 302 and is adapted to be rocked back and forth by a cam follower roller 312 engaging the periphery of the cam 306 and carried by one arm of a bell crank lever 314 fixed to the rock shaft 172 as by a set screw 316. The other arm of the bell crank lever 314 is connected by a link 318 to a crank arm 320 which is secured to the above mentioned shaft 254 upon whose back and forth rotary movement operation of the bag tie severing and bending mechanism of FIG. 12 depends.

A second bell crank lever 326 is mounted on the rock shaft 172 but is not afiixed thereto i.e., it is capable of partaking of rocking motion independently of movement of the shaft 172. A cam follower roller 328 carried by one arm of the bell crank lever 326 engages the periphery of the cam 308 being held thereagainst by a spring 329 (FIG. 6). The other arm of the bell crank 326 is connected by a link 330 to a crank arm 332 rigid with the shaft 216 (FIGS. 2-6 and 8) which; when turned in one direction, operates the strip stock feeding mechanism of FIG. 9, as above explained. The length of strip stock 192 advanced thereby for the formation of a single bag tie is variable by shifting a pivot screw 334 (FIGS. 6 and 8) which connects the link 330 to the bell crank lever 326, within an elongate slot 336 in the bell crank lever 326 through which the pivot screw 334 extends and is adapted to be fastened in selected position.

The same arm of the bell crank 326 that is connected to the link 330 and the strip stock feeding mechanism is likewise connected by a link 338 to a crank arm 340 (FIGS. 6 and 8) rigid with the above mentioned shaft 158 (FIGS. 2-6, 8 and 10) to which is affixed the crank arm 156 which projects and retracts the splined shaft 118 and the twisting jaws 110.

Since both the bell crank lever 314 and the crank arm 170 are rigidly secured to the rock shaft 172 the operation of twisting the ends of a bag tie around the neck of one bag occurs at the same time that the tie for the next successive bag is being cut by operation of the shearing blade 244 and seated within a notch 102 of the transfer lever 70 for the next successive bag. As best shown in FIG. 8 the cam 308 which actuates the strip stock feeding mechanism and the twisting jaw advancing mechanism is somewhat in advance of the cam 306 which actuates the strip stock cutting and bending mechanism and the jaw twisting mechanism. Because of this arrangement the strip stock will be fed into position to be cut before the act of cutting and the act of seating the cut bag tie within a notch 102 occurs and the act of advancing the twisting jaws into position to engage the projecting diverging ends of a bag tie and clamp of the jaws upon the tie will occur before the splined shaft 118 and the twisting jaws 110 are rotated to tighten a bag tie by twisting its ends together.

Also free to rotate upon the rock shaft 172 is a third bell crank lever 350 one arm of which carries a cam follower roller 352 engaging the periphery of the cam 304 and held thereagainst by suitable means (not shown). The other arm of the bell crank lever 350 is connected by a link 354 to a crank arm 356 rigidly secured to the hereinabove mentioned shaft upon whose back and forth rotary motion actuation of the secondary gathering fingers 80 depends. The cam 304 is so shaped and so positioned on the cam shaft 302 that the secondary gathering fingers 80 are advanced into their operative position in which they are illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 a very brief interval before the tie transfer lever 70 is rotated to remove one end thereof from in front of a bag end region being gathered and to complete the gathering thereof by moving the other end of the tie transfer lever 70 behind the bag end region to complete the gathering thereof by pressing it against the secondary gathering fingers 80. Moreover, the high part of the cam 304 is of such extent and is so related to the cam 308 that the secondary gathering fingers 80 are retained in their operative position throughout the time that the twisting jaws are advanced to and are retained in their operative position by the bell crank lever 326, link 338 and crank arm 340, during which interval the jaws 110 are twisted by the action of the cam 306 against the bell crank lever 314, the crank arm and the sector gear 124.

While a particular apparatus and a particular sequence of steps for carrying out the present invention have been shown and described it will be understood that both are capable of modification and variation while still employing the principles of the invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the scope and proper interpretation of the claims appended hereto.

The invention having thus been described, that which is believed to be new and for which protection by Letters Patent is desired, is:

1. Bag closing apparatus for closing the open end regions of a series of bags comprising means engageable with the open end region of said bags for flattening the same and propelling the flattened end regions along a predetermined path with one lateral edge of each bag leading, holding means extending across the path to hold said leading edge of a first bag stationary while the trailing parts of the first bag end region continue to advance whereby the bag end region is gathered against said holding means, tie applying means movable in said path and following the trailing lateral edge of the bag end region for applying a bag tie to the gathered bag end region in partially encircling relation thereto, said tie applying means having a surface serving as a holding means for a second bag directly following said first bag and initiating the gathering of the open end region of said second bag, and means engage- 11 able with the ends of said bag tie for twisting them together to tighten the bag tie around the gathered end region of said first bag during the gathering of the end region of said second bag.

2. Bag closing apparatus comprising means for advancing an end region of a first flexible bag along a predetermined path, means extending across said path to interrupt advance of said bag end region whereby the bag end region is gathered against said interrupting means, bag tie carrying means mounted adjacent said advancing means for movement in said path, means for mounting a bag tie in a notch on one side of said carrying means, and means operable during movement of a bag end region into the gathered position for actuating the tie carrying means to overtake the gathered bag end region and apply the tie carried thereby to said region, said tie carrying means including a recess on the other side thereof facing away from said one side carrying said bag tie, said recess being arranged to interrupt the advance of a second bag following said first bag along said path, and to initiate the gathering of the end region of said second bag, and means for securing said bag tie to said gathered end region of said first bag during the gathering of the end region of said second bag.

3. Bag closing apparatus comprising means for advancing the flattened end region of a first flexible bag along a predetermined path with one lateral edge leading, means extending across said path to prevent advance of said leading edge while the trailing parts of the bag end region continue to advance whereby the bag end region is gathered into a constricted neck, bag ties carrying means mounted adjacent said advancing means for movement in said path, means for mounting a bag tie on said carrying means, means operable during movement of a bag end region into the gathered position for actuating the tie carrying means to overtake the gathered bag end region and apply the tie carried thereby to the same while concurrently placing the carrying means in the path of a second bag advanced by said advancing means so that gathering of the end region of said second bag is initiated against said carrying means, and means for securing said bag tie to said gathered end region of the first bag.

4. Bag closing apparatus comprising means for advancing the aligned flattened end regions of a series of flexible bags along a predetermined path with one lateral edge of each bag leading, means for interrupting advance of the leading edge of a first bag while the trailing parts of the first bag end region continue to advance whereby the bag end region is gathered against said interrupting means, bag tie carrying means movable along said path in overtaking relation to said first bag end region and having a V-shaped notch in its leading surface, means for forming a bag tie into V-shaped form and seating the same in said notch, means for actuating said tie carrying means to apply the V-shaped ties to the gathered first bag end region, and means for twisting the ends of said V-shaped tie together and securing the tie to the gathered first bag end region while said bag remains in the position which it occupied when said V-shaped tie was applied and while the gathering of the end region of a second bag directly following said first bag is initiated.

5. A machine for closing flexible bags comprising means for flattening the open end region of a bag and advancing the flattened end region edgewise along a certain path, a rotatable double ended lever having a recess in the trailing edge and a V-shaped notch in the leading edge of each end part of the lever, means for immobilizing the lever with the recess of one end part of the lever is register with said flattening and advancing means to interrupt advance of the leading edge of the flattened bag end region and thereby initiate gathering of the bag end region into a constricted neck within the associated recess, a movably mounted finger having a bag top gathering pocket therein, means for moving said finger to place its pocket in register with said flattening and advancing means in engagement with the partly formed bag neck to gather the remainder of said bag end region therein, means for seating a bag tie in the V-shaped notch of the other end part of the lever and thereby bending the bag tie to V-shape, means operative after said finger has engaged the partly formed bag top for rotating said lever to compact the bag neck within said gathering pocket and to apply the V- shaped bag tie to the compacted bag neck with the diverging ends of the bag tie in embracing relation thereto, and means engageable with the ends of the V-shaped tie for twisting them together to aflix the bag tie to the bag neck in encircling relation thereto.

6. A machine for closing flexible bags comprising means for flattening the open end region of a bag and advancing the same along a certain path, a rotatable double ended lever symmetrical about its axis of rotation and having a recess in the trailing edge and a notch in the leading edge of each end part of the lever, means for immobilizing the lever with the recess of one end part of the lever in register with said flattening and advancing means to interrupt advance of the flattened bag end region and thereby initiate gathering of the bag end region into a constricted neck within the associated recess, a movably mounted finger having a bag top gathering pocket therein, means for moving said finger to place its pocket in register with said flattening and advancing means in engagement with the partly formed bag neck to thereby prolong interruption of advance of said bag end region while the remainder of the bag end region gathers therein, means for seating a bag tie in the notch of the other end part of the lever, means operative after said finger has engaged the partly formed bag top for rotating said lever to compact the bag neck within said gathering pocket and to apply the bag tie to the compacted bag neck with the ends of the bag tie in embracing relation thereto, and means engageable with the ends of the bag tie for twisting them together to tighten the bag tie around the bag neck.

7. A machine for closing flexible bags comprising means for flattening the open end region of a bag and advancing it along a certain path, a rotatable double ended lever having a recess in the trailing edge and a notch in the leading edge of each end part of the lever, means for immobilizing the lever with the recess of one end part of the lever in register with said flattening and advancing means to interrupt advance of the leading edge of the flattened bag end region and thereby initiate gathering of the bag end region into a constricted neck within the associated recess, a movably mounted finger having a bag top gathering pocket therein, means for moving said finger to align its pocket with said flattening and advancing means and in engagemerit with the partly formed bag neck to thereby prolong immobilization of said leading edge While the remainder of said bag end region gathers therein, means for seating a tie in the V-shaped notch of the other end part of the lever, means operative after said finger has engaged the partly formed bag top for rotating said lever to compact the bag neck within said gathering pocket and to apply the bag tie to the compacted bag neck with the ends of the bag tie in embracing relation thereto and to align the recess in said other end of the lever with said flattening and advancing means, and means engageable with the ends of the V-shaped tie for twisting them together to afiix the bag tie to the bag neck in encircling relation thereto.

8. Bag closing apparatus comprising means for continuously moving a series of aligned flexible bags along a predetermined path, a lever extending across said path for interrupting the movement of the leading lateral edge of a first bag and permitting the end region of said first bag to be gathered against said lever, secondary holding means movable into a position aligned with said lever, means operable during movement of said bag against said lever for actuating the lever and causing it to rotate to overtake the trailing end of said first bag end region and apply a tie thereto while said bag is retained by said secondary holding means, and means for securing said bag tie to the gathered end region of said first bag while the end region of the bag following said first bag is gathered against said lever.

9. The method of closing and tying the mouths of a series of flexible bags which comprises advancing the bags with their open end regions moving in a certain direction, gathering the end region of a first bag into a constricted neck, advancing a bag tie in said direction and following said first bag end region to overtake the same and apply the bag tie to the constricted neck, and twisting the ends of the bag tie together to tighten the bag tie around said neck While said first bag is maintained in the position where said tie was applied, and while the end region of the bag following said first bag is gathered into a constricted neck.

10. The method of closing and tying the mouths of flexible bags which comprises advancing bags successively in a particular direction along a predetermined path, interrupting advance of the leading part of the end region of a first bag while the trailing part of said end region continues to advance to gather the end region into a constricted neck, overtaking the trailing part of the bag end region with a bag tie moving in the same direction to simultaneously apply the tie to said neck from behind and to place an obstruction in said path in front of the end region of the next succeeding bag, and tightening said bag tie around the neck of said first bag while the end region of said next succeeding bag is advanced into engagement with said obstruction to be gathered thereaigainst.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 16,897 3/1928 Allatt 53138 1,823,442 9/ 1931 Foulder 53135 2,898,817 8/1959 Lutz et al. 53135 X FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Examiner. 

9. THE METHOD OF CLOSING AND TYING THE MOUTHS OF A SERIES OF FLEXIBLE BAGS WHICH COMPRISES ADVANCING THE BAGS WITH THEIR OPEN END REGIONS MOVING IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION, GATHERING THE END REGION OF A FIRST BAG INTO A CONSTRICTED NECK, ADVANCING A BAG TIE IN SAID DIRECTION AND FOLLOWING SAID FIRST BAG END REGION TO OVERTAKE THE SAME AND APPLY THE BAG TIE TO THE CONSTRICTED NECK, AND TWISTING THE ENDS OF THE BAG TIE TOGETHER TO TIGHTEN THE BAG TIE AROUND SAID NECK WHILE SAID FIRST BAG IS MAINTAINED IN THE POSITION WHERE SAID TIE WAS APPLIED, AND WHILE THE END REGION OF THE BAG FOLLOWING SAID FIRST BAG IS GATHERED INTO A CONSTRICTED NECK. 